The Only Exception
by LozzyKate
Summary: I got the idea for this fanfiction from the song The Only Exception by Paramore. It shows the feelings that Zelda has for Link and what they would do for each other. It is rated PG. This is a one-shot fanfiction.


_I got the idea for this fanfiction from the song_ _**The**__**Only Exception by Paramore**__. It shows the feelings that Zelda has for Link and what they would do for each other. It is rated PG. This is a one-shot fanfiction._

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**The Only Exception**

She watched him closely as she recited her day to him. He noticed the glaze that coated his eyes. He was dazing off. He wasn't listening…again.

"…and I am trying my best to come and visit you soon," she finished.

"Mhm," he mumbled.

"Link, can you look at me?" she waved her hand in front of Link's face. His blues eyes sparkled in the light radiating from the lamp hanging above them. His blond hair was messy and tangled. He had bags under his eyes that were noticeable from five feet away. _He hasn't been sleeping, _she thought. He looked sick and thin. His tunic looked a little worn down. Link looked so much older than he was. A slight furrowing line marked the between spot of his eyebrows.

"I am," he countered.

"Your eyes are, but you're not."

"Zelda, I am looking dead at you, I am listening to you and hearing you. Don't start with this again, that I'm not paying attention to you," Link smiled playfully, but it wasn't for Zelda. It was for someone else.

Zelda closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb, to stop herself from crying. She took her hand from her face, and ran her hand down her long hair.

"Sweetie, is there anything I can get ya?" Zelda looked up. Telma was standing before the table. Zelda and Link were sitting in her deserted bar. It was calm, peaceful, and quiet in there. It was the only place that Link and Zelda wouldn't be heard by others.

"Thanks Telma, but no. I think we're going to go soon," Link said.

"Excuse me?" Zelda questioned.

"You look like you want to be alone, Zelda. You look…sad," Link looked down at the table, and then looked up at Zelda.

_He just wants to think about __**her**__, _Zelda thought angrily. "Sure. Let's go," Zelda stood sharply from her chair. The chair knocked backwards and fell loudly to the floor. The noise echoed the room. Telma stood and gave Zelda a look of confusion. Zelda paid no attention to her and stared at Link. He just sat there and widened his eyes, resembling a scared puppy.

"What's wrong? Calm down, Zeld―"

"Just go wish yourself with her will you? That's all you ever think about. Her! Give it up! She's never coming back!" Zelda screamed. She turned and stormed out of the bar. Clouds were blocking her vision. She let the rivers slide down her cheeks. She made a right out of the bar and slid down the wall and sat down behind a crate. She wrapped her arms around her legs and cried.

"I just can't take it anymore," she whispered to herself.

Footsteps echoed from the short alleyway to the bar's door and Zelda covered her mouth with her hand. She watched as Link and Telma ran up the stairs of the opening to the Market and went in search for her.

Zelda faintly heard Telma scolding Link before they turned onto the Market. "…and you know she is trying her hardest to be with you."

Zelda couldn't help herself. She smiled through her tears. _What a kind woman; always looking out for others. _Zelda's tears ceased, and she stood up. She went up the stairs and peeked out into the Market. She didn't see Link or Telma. She turned right and went out the big doors to Southern Hyrule Field.

When Zelda stepped outside, the sky started to darken. Thunder boomed in the distance and lightning flashed miles to the west.

Link and Telma were frantically searching Castle Town, looking for Zelda. They quickened their paces as they heard thunder and started to feel the first few drops of the worst storm Hyrule would ever experience.

"Look what you've done Link! She's nowhere to be found and now it's about to pour. She's going to get sick," Telma screamed.

"I didn't do anything wrong. She's just upset about something. I can't control that, Telma," Link grumbled. He tried to block Telma's nagging out of his head, while he was trying to figure out where Zelda was.

_*Flashback*_

"_Link, I trust you fully and I want you to know something. Whenever I am angry or upset or anything, I have this special spot in Southern Hyrule Field. I want to share that place with you," Zelda told him once while they were walking through Hyrule Castle._

"_Well where in Southern Hyrule Field?"_

"_You'll know when you go there," Zelda looked at Link and smiled._

_*End Flashback*_

"...and I hope that the goddesses will show us where she is, because―"

"I know where she is. Come on!" Link exclaimed.

Zelda walked down the stairs of the Castle and onto Hyrule Field. She took off her black cloak and hung it on the railing. Her dress waved gracefully behind her as she walked to a small cave off the left of the stairs. As she turned, she didn't notice the black figure that was on top of the stone tower close to her cave.

Link and Telma raced through the hurrying crowds. They all wanted to get into their homes to stay dry. Everyone was crammed together, and it was taking forever for the two to get Zelda.

The shadow jumped from the tower and landed behind Zelda. Zelda heard the noise and whirled around. The shadowed person was tall and muscular. The person wore a black cloak with a hood that covered their face. As they uncovered their face, a man was revealed. He had dark brown hair with sea green eyes. He lifted his hand and took a step toward Zelda.

"Why would she be in Southern Hyrule Field?" Telma screamed over the commotion of the other citizens.

Link turned his head to look at Telma from the side. She was frowning. Her brown haired bobbed up and down in its ponytail. Her denim jacket started to get dots all over it. Link could feel cold rain soaking through his hat. He began to push people out of his way with force. Telma did the same. After a minute, people cleared a path for them.

"She told me a while back that when she was angry, she built a special place there to help her calm down."

"Well we better pick up the pace. It's starting to rain very hard."

Zelda backed up slowly. When she saw that the man wasn't going to do anything right then, she turned and started to run. The man squatted and grabbed her ankle. She lost her balance and fell into a puddle of mud that started to form. The sky blackened even more and the rain poured harder and faster.

"Let go of me! Who are you?" Zelda screamed. She kicked her legs, trying to get up. The man lifted her up by her hair and put his hand over her mouth. Zelda was screaming and trying to bite his hand.

Link and Telma got to Southern Hyrule Field finally. Link chose the left side of the split off stairs. Telma followed. As Link neared where Zelda put her cloak, he started to wonder why it was there. Telma stopped running and held her breath. Link started to move faster down the stairs.

Zelda was able to bite the man's hand. He winced and let go of her. Zelda ran around him and turned towards the stairs. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going until she ran into Link. Link held her and quickly pushed her behind him. He drew his sword and moved slowly towards the man. His hand was bleeding and Link knew he wouldn't do anymore.

"What's your name?" Link yelled over the rain.

"I'm just a Royal Guard," the man said.

"That's not what I asked you," Link started to get frustrated.

"I don't have a name."

"So the nameless Royal Guard. Huh…What kind of a stunt were you trying to pull just now?"

"I…I don't know. I just wanted to talk with the Princess. Then, she…flipped out on me."

Zelda stopped in her tracks and turned around. Tears were marking her face and her gaze seemed lost. "He's lying," she whispered.

"I see. Well, if that's all, then I'm going to take you back to your patrol spot," Link didn't want to believe the man, but he had a twinge of a feeling that Zelda did do what he said. He wasn't sure though.

The Royal Guard walked ahead of Link as they headed back to Hyrule Castle. Zelda pushed herself against the wall as he walked by. Link glanced at Zelda and he saw fear in her eyes.

_Zelda's never looked this scared before. He's lying. He was trying to hurt her. He does have a name, he just doesn't want to get reported and lose his job, _Link thought. He pushed the guard forward to get him moving.

"I don't think you want to be reported for what went on here. I suggest you move faster, no-name," Link threatened.

As Zelda watched the two turn the corner for the stairs, she sunk to the ground. She stared at the clouds that were inching closer to Hyrule. The sky was darkening more and the rain poured down faster. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed throughout the sky. Telma quickly went over to Zelda and lifted her. She carried her back to the bar as fast as she could. Zelda didn't realize that she was even moving. She was just staring into space and was trying to comprehend everything that happened.

Link directed the guard back to his post and was running back to the bar; hoping Telma was there with Zelda. Lightning was flashing dangerously close to Castle Town and Hyrule Castle. Link was nearing Telma's bar and quickly darted down the stairs. When Link went under the alleyway to get to the bar's entrance, he took a deep breath.

_Here we go, _he thought.

"I don't get it," Zelda mumbled over and over as she sat at the table she originally left. She held a glass of water in her shaking hands. Her knuckles were white from gripping the glass so hard. She stared at the blank, stone wall in front of her.

"How is she, Telma?" Link asked.

"She's just been doing exactly what she's doing right now for the last ten minutes. I gave her some water to ease the shock, but…I don't know what else to do," Telma confessed.

"I feel at blame for this."

"Why?"

"I haven't been listening to her and she's been getting all upset at me lately. I know I could've listened to her, but I was thinking and tonight…well…let's just say it got the best of me," Link said quickly.

"Well, if you feel at blame for what happened with her tonight―and everything that has been going on between you two―why don't you go try and talk to her?"

Link sighed loudly before answering, "Okay." Link walked over to the table; as he was walking, Telma slid quietly out of the bar to let them be alone. He pulled the chair from the opposite end of the table and moved it closer to where Zelda was seated. She kept mumbling, "I don't get it," over and over. Link took one of Zelda's hands from the glass and held it. She squeezed his hand tightly and her eyes glanced to the side to look at him.

"Zelda…look. If you are hearing me right now, I want you to know something," Zelda stopped mumbling and her tears ceased. Link took a second deep breath and prepared himself. "I'm sorry for not listening to you for the last couple of months when you were talking to me. I'm sorry for not being thankful and grateful for all the strings you've pulled to spend time with me. I'm just…I'm sorry for everything I've done to hurt you."

Telma thought that it was very quiet inside, so she went back inside. She saw Link holding Zelda's hand as they just looked at each other. She wondered if Link said anything to her at all, but she regretted having that thought. She knew that Link was trying his best to prove how apologetic he was.

"I…forgive you, Link. I should be the one apologizing though. I took everything out of line. I know you miss her, and I know that she started to mean something to you. I was just…a little jealous," Zelda confessed.

"It's been a while now, Zelda. I know she's gone. I know she will never come back. I know that I must move on. She is still in my memories, but I have to move her from my heart…that way I―"

"You don't need to say anymore, Link. I understand," Zelda smiled. The light magnified the tears that were building in her eyes.

"I wouldn't do what I do to be with you, for anyone else, Link. You're the only exception to my rules of being the Princess of Hyrule. You're my bend in the road. I want you to know that," a single tear slid down both Link and Zelda's cheek as she finished her sentence.

"I―," Link started, a smile building on his face.

"Me too."


End file.
